Police officers from Murang’a County have recovered 16,905 pineapples stolen from the Delmonte farm.
This recovery comes after an operation known as Operation Linda Mananasi, which has been ongoing for the past two weeks. Over 50 police officers were dispatched to the farm to assist in guarding the fruits.
According to Murang’a County Police Commander Kainga Mathiu, 222 culprits have been arrested and successfully prosecuted.
Furthermore, police officers also impounded motorbikes and vehicles that the suspects used to transport the fruits from the farm to the market.
Kainga stated that the security team is prepared to provide security for the entire farm, emphasizing that its vastness poses challenges for the company to guard effectively, making it susceptible to theft.
County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha, on his part, mentioned that the suspects nabbed in the operation have collectively been fined Kes.3,096,000 after being convicted in court.
“It is not our aim to have the suspects fined but they have generated money for the government,” he said.
Delmonte fruits processing company operates on approximately 22,000 acres of land, with around 18,000 acres in Murang’a and the remainder in Kiambu County.
The pineapples reportedly stolen from the farm have fueled a thriving fruit vending business in Kenol, Kabati, and Thika towns.
